Locking means for ball and socket joint



United States Patent [72] Inventors George E. Gensalves [56] ReferencesCited F g g i I d N Y (b h f UNITED STATES PATENTS 658911 101900 11112481 839,3? Emmy, 238) 2 328 135 11/1943 Gzck zs v/ i [21] Appl. No. WedApril, 1969 2,352,699 7/1944 Ennis 287/12 [45] Patented Nov. 10, 1970Primary Examiner-David J. Williamowsky Assistant Examiner-Andrew V.Kundrat AttorneyPhilip G. Hilbert [54] LOCKING MEANS FOR BALL AND SOCKETJOINT 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 287/12, ABSTRACT: A ball andsocket joint having means for locking 248/181 the ball portion of thejoint in any selected position thereof, [51] Int. Cl Fl6c 11/06 thelocking means being of the cam type to provide quick ac- [50] Field ofSearch 287/12, 21, tion grip and release means to facilitate rapidadjusted move- 89, 87', 248/181, 481 ments of the ball portion of thejoint.

2 21 8 22/- 22 E x m: I

Patented Nov. 10, 1970 7 3,539,208

Sheet 1 of 2 INVENTORS George E. Gonsalves BY Felice Dosso 9112.015. W

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 10, 1970 Sheet LOCKING MEANS FOR BALL AND SOCKETJOINT BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Ball and socket joints are commonlyused in conjunction with work support means to allow the work supportmeans to be quickly moved to desired positions so as to present the workpiece on the support in a selected position or positions. Since it isfrequently desirable to lock the work support means against inadvertentmovement from its selected position, various locking means have beenproposed including set screws and the like.

However, known locking means for ball and socket joints suffer from anumber of disadvantages including insufficient gripping action undermanual operation; complexity of the locking means; undue bulk of thelocking means; and relatively high costs for such auxiliary devices.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide improved lockingmeans for a ball and socket joint, which is of simple, inexpensiveconstruction, is capable of providing high gripping forces with simplemanual operation, and is quick acting in shifting between grip andrelease positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a locking means for aball and socket joint which includes a cam arrangement for varying thegripping relation of the socket portions relative to the ball portion ofthe joint; the cam being movable through a relatively small angular pathto pass between release and tightly gripping positions thereof.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a combination balland socket joint and locking means, which is formed from bent metalplate to facilitate production and reduce costs; which is of aconstruction that allows for speedy assembly of the parts thereofj andwhich is operable manually with a minimum amount of physical effort.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Asshown in the drawing, designates a ball and socket constructionincluding locking means, embodying the invention. The same comprisesessentially, a metal stamping generally indicated at 11, whichconstitutes the socket portion of the device; and a ball membergenerally indicated at 12, which is adapted to be universally mounted inthe socket portion ll. The ball member 12, includes the usual stem 13pro jecting therefrom with wedging, tapered ribs 14 on the stem 13 at 90intervals. A workpiece supporting block, not shown, is adapted to bemounted on stem 13, the block having the usual tapered cavity to receivewedging ribs 14, all in a manner known in the art.

The metal stamping 11 comprises a pair of substantially parallel plateportions 15, 16 which are resiliently interconnected by an integral,U-shaped bight portion 17. The plate portions I5, 16 are of a selectedthickness sufficient to maintain their spacing yet allowing somemovement toward and away from each other by way of bight portion 17.

The device 10 is adapted to be demountably affixed to a support surfacesuch as a table top T or the like. To this end, an apron portion 18depends from the forward edge 19 of lower plate portion I6 andterminates in a horizontal bracket portion 20 which is in opposedrelation to plate portion 16. The resultant C clamp structure, isprovided with a clamping screw 21 passing through a threaded opening 22in bracket portion 20. The screw 2!. is provided with the usual cuppedwasher 23 at the upper end thereof for engaging the lower surface ofsupport T; a handle 24 extending angularly from the lower end of saidscrew 21 to turn the same to clamping and release positions.

The upper plate portion 15 is formed with a circular opening 25 of adiameter somewhat less than that of ball member 12; the annular edge ofsaid opening being transversely curved to form an upper seat 26 for ballmember 1.2. The lower plate portion 16 is formed with a circular opening27 which is coaxially related to opening 25, and which is of a diametersomewhat larger than that of ball member 12. This permits the ballmember 12 to be passed through opening 27 for location between plateportions 15, 16 in the assembly of the device 10.

The lower seat for ball member .12 takes the form of a cup shapedplastic block 28 having a part spherical recess 29, an annular side wall30 and a flat bottom surface 31. The plastic block 28 may be molded fromsuitable wear resistant resins such as nylon, or the like.

The block 28 is supported on a metal disc 32 formed with an annularflange 33 to provide an annular shoulder 34. The disc 32 is locatedwithin opening 27 of lower plate portion 16. The bottom surface 31 ofblock 28 is in contact with the upper surface of disc 32. It isunderstood that disc 32 has a thickness slightly greater then the normalspace between the bottom of block 28 and the upper surface of lowerplate portion 16.

Accordingly, after the ball member 12 and block 28 have been locatedbetween plate portions 15, 16; the said plate portions are slightlydisplaced from each other, to allow disc 32 to be moved laterally overthe top surface of lower plate portion 16 to snap the same into opening27. With plate portions l5, 16 released and with their normal spacing;the assembly of ball member 12, block 28 and disc 32 will be retained inplace. Thus, the ball member 12, with its stem 13 projecting upwardlythrough opening 25 in upper plate portion 15, is free to be swivelled toany desired position.

However, in order to restrain ball member 12 from further movement afterit has been brought to a desired angular position, locking means isprovided. To this end, cam means is used to positively move plateportions 15, 16 toward each other so as to exert a tight gripping actionon bail member 12. Accordingly, the free edge 15A of upper plate portion15 has a short rib portion 35 projecting from a central portion thereof,said rib portion 35 having a curvature longitudinally thereof.

On the outer surface of apron portion 18 of lower plate portion 16,there is movably mounted a triangular slotted cam plate 36, with acurved slot 37 therein for receiving rib portion 35 therein. The camplate 36 is mounted on apron portion 18 by means of a headed rivet 38,an intermediary washer 39 disposed between the inner surface of camplate 36 and the outer surface of apron portion 18, and an end washer4t) abutting the inner surface of apron portion 18. The rivet 38 isupset at its outer end, as at 41, to frictionally hold cam plate 36 forpivoted movement thereof, by way of handle means 12 projecting from anedge portion of said cam plate.

The slot 37 in cam plate 36 has a curvature of progressively changingradii, as at R R etc. Thus, such device 10 may have its cam plate 36positioned by handle means 42 in a position wherein the ball member 12may be moved as desired to selected positions. In this case, as shown inH6. 2, the cam plate 36 has been turned so that rib 35 is disposed inthe extreme left hand position in slot 37. Accordingly, the radius R, isat a maximum.

Upon moving handle means 42 to pivot cam plate 36 in a counterclockwisedirection, the decreasing radius R causes plate portions 15, 16 totightly grip ball member 12, see FIGS. 3, 4. Obviously, the degree ofgrip may be varied by the relative angular position of handle means 42.Also, the camming action as shown lends itself to quick action betweendesired degrees of release and grip in respect to ball member 12.

The device may be used for mounting a variety of work supports which inturn may have mounted thereon diverse work pieces, such as wigs and thelike. ln each case, the operator is in a position to quickly positionthe the stem 13 which carries the work support and work piece, asdesired, lock the same to allow for necessary manipulative action inrespect to the workpiece, not shown; and to permit quick release of thesame to allow movement of stem 13 to othe selected positions.

We claim:

1. A ball and socket construction comprising socket means and ball meansmounted in said socket means for movement to selected angular positionsthereof, said socket means comprising a bent metal member including apair of substantially parallel plate portions and a portion forresiliently connecting 15 said plate portions along one edge thereof,said plate portions being formed with coaxially related openings, one ofsaid openings having a diameter less then that of said ball means toprovide upper seat means for said ball means, the other of said openingshaving a diameter greater then that of said ball means for passing saidball means therethrough into a position between said plate portions,lower seat means between said plate portions for engaging said ballmeans, means mounted in the opening in said second mentioned plateportion for supporting said lower seat means, and means for moving theplate portions along the edge thereof opposite to said one edge thereoftowards each other to exert a gripping and locking action with respectto said ball means, said plate portion moving means comprising curvedcam follower means projecting from one of said plate portions and aslotted cam plate rotatably mounted on the other of said plate portions,the slot in said cam plate being spirally curved relative to the axis ofrotation thereof for receiving said cam follower means, and means formoving said cam plate in a direction to progressively increase theclamping action of said plate portions relative to said ball means.

2. A ball and socket construction as in claim 1 and further includingmeans extending from said second mentioned plate portion for clampingsaid ball and socket construction to supporting means.

3. A ball and socket construction as in claim 1 wherein, said lower seatmeans comprises a member formed with a part spherical recess and a flatbottom surface, said lower seat supporting means comprising a dischaving an annular shoulder for locating said disc in the opening in saidsecond mentioned plate portion and disposing the upper surface thereofin supporting contact with the flat bottom surface of said lower seatmeans.

4. A ball and socket construction as in claim 1 wherein said plateportions are rectangular and the portion connecting said plate portionsbeing of U-shaped cross section; the second mentioned plate portionhaving an apron portion depending from the second mentioned edgethereof, said cam plate being substantially triangular in shape, meansfor movably mounting an apex portion of said cam plate on said apronportion, the slot in said cam plate having a curvature withprogressively changing radii measured to the cam plate mounting means.

